1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to suturing devices and methods.
2. Description of Prior Art and Related Information
Suturing apparatus in the past have been required to have an elongate configuration and a low profile facilitating their use through cannulas in less invasive surgery. These devices have typically included opposing jaws, which clamp on to the tissue to be sutured. Beyond this simple clamping motion, typically facilitated by scissor handles, the mechanism for threading a suture between the jaws and through the tissues have been exceedingly complex.
This complexity has derived primarily from the fact that the elongated, low profile configuration calls for an operating force that can be transmitted through an elongate tube. This force along the axis of the instrument must then be converted into a force extending generally perpendicular to the axis between the jaws. No simple structure has been devised to accommodate this transition. Furthermore, loading a suture onto a mechanism has also been complicated due to the complexity of the suturing mechanisms.